diff --git a/bake/bake.go b/bake/bake.go
index e5ee0ca9..a8c7c37f 100644
--- a/bake/bake.go
+++ b/bake/bake.go
@@ -526,6 +526,9 @@ func removeDupes(s []string) []string {
 		if _, ok := seen[v]; ok {
 			continue
 		}
+		if v == "" {
+			continue
+		}
 		seen[v] = struct{}{}
 		s[i] = v
 		i++
diff --git a/bake/hcl.go b/bake/hcl.go
index 6f19390e..510d2e60 100644
--- a/bake/hcl.go
+++ b/bake/hcl.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ var (
 		"csvdecode":              stdlib.CSVDecodeFunc,
 		"coalesce":               stdlib.CoalesceFunc,
 		"coalescelist":           stdlib.CoalesceListFunc,
+		"compact":                stdlib.CompactFunc,
 		"concat":                 stdlib.ConcatFunc,
 		"contains":               stdlib.ContainsFunc,
 		"distinct":               stdlib.DistinctFunc,